Electronic Arts is readying itself for a tough pre-Xmas battle with rival Activision as both firm's top video games go to war.

EA is hoping it's Star Wars game Battlefront 2 will take on Acti's annual Call of Duty release in the coming weeks.

And they're battling for billions of pounds in cash as gamers flock to stores for the big festive games buy-up.

But EA bosses has this week admitted they're facing a difficult task and can't quite predict how well they'll fare against CoD's new World War 2 themed installment.

The shooter game is expected to be a blockbuster hit as it returns to the long-running series' traditional boots on the ground, historic war roots.

And while EA hopes Battlefront, complete with its new single-player campaign, will sell upwards of 14million copies long term, it can't say how well it will fare in the first-person shooter market come Christmas.

Star Wars Battlefront 2 Screenshots

Live the untold Star Wars story of Iden, an elite Stormtrooper, in an original single-player story. Battle on land and in space in an expanded multiplayer experience with iconic heroes and villains, thrilling space battles, and a deep progression and customization system.

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This year there's only Battlefront 2 and race game Need For Speed Payback, which has so far had little publicity and faces tough competition from fellow racing titles like Forza 7, Gran Turismo Sport and Project Cars 2.

Andrew Wilson, EA executive, told investors the firm is "well positioned" in its battle for gaming dominance this winter.

"We will add the momentum with two massive new experiences, a new event-driven live service and more competition," He continued.

"First is Need for Speed Payback, launching on November 10. An all-new story drives this experience with a narrative, characters and explosive moments that will excite a broad audience of players.

"Combined with deep customisation, a huge open world and a rich multiplayer experience, this is one of the biggest Need for Speed games ever created.

"Trailer views are up more than 100% over the previous title. And the community is excited to jump into this new Need for Speed."

"This is a game that is nearly three times the size of the previous Battlefront, delivering an untold Star Wars story in our single-player campaign, multiplayer battles and dozens of ships, settings and heroes from all three Star Wars eras."

Call of Duty: WW2 hits stores early next week and is predicted by experts to be the no.1 most-wanted Christmas game this year eclipsing Battlefront and NFS.